Cat Cora's "Santa Barbara Beach Ball" Raises Over $16,000 for Charity

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - April 13, 2015 - PRLog -- Santa Barbara, California: Celebrity Chef Cat Cora threw a public beach party to celebrate her and her son Thatcher’s birthdays this year, but it was in-need Santa Barbara residents that got the best present. The first annual “Santa Barbara Beach Ball” featured games, food, a beach workout with Jenny Schatzle, and prizes from a wide array of sponsors. Proceeds went to the Organic Soup Kitchen, a local non-profit that provides organic, nutritious food to marginalized sectors of the community.

The event, held on April 4th, was a huge success, raising $16,100, including a $5,000 donation from Cora’s Chefs For Humanity group.

"As a local resident of Santa Barbara, I am so thankful I have the opportunity to work with the Organic Soup Kitchen and all our generous sponsors to raise money for such a great cause,” said Cat Cora. "Working together we are able to impact the community we hold so dear. Getting our children involved educates them that helping others is a joyful part of being a complete human being. I look forward to starting a tradition, and to the next annual Santa Barbara Beach Ball!"

Anthony Carroccio, Executive Director of the Organic Soup Kitchen, said "Having Cat Cora and her son Thatcher pledge their birthday to Organic Soup Kitchen's Senior meal program not only helped us monetarily, it  demonstrated to our community what an open hearted family can do when a selfless act of kindness is practiced.”

Event sponsors included: Organic Soup Kitchen, Chefs For Humanity, Jenny Schatzle Program, Melanie Mitchell Graphic Designer, McConnell’s Ice Cream, Santa Barbara Sailing Center, El Zarape Mexican Food, Surf Happens, Sonos, The Santa Barbara Bar, Juice Ranch, The Lark, Sugar Cat Studios, Water With Life, Blenders In The Grass, Monecito Bank and Trust, Bird Dog Mercantile, Hot Cherry Pillows, SB Fitness Tours, Bacara, Wine Cask Restaurant, Pure Order Brewing Company, Cloud 10, Cat Cora Inc, Harbor Meat & Seafood, John Ebadi Wellness & Healing Center, and Caribbean Coffee Company.

About Cat Cora: Santa Barbara resident Cat Cora is a celebrity chef best known for her featured role as an "Iron Chef" on the Food Network television show Iron Chef America. She is also the author of three cookbooks: Cat Cora’s Kitchen, Cooking From The Hip and her newest book Cat Cora's Classics with a Twist.  Cora is the founder of Chefs for Humanity, a group of culinary professionals working to fight hunger, provide food nutrition education, emergency food relief and humanitarian aid worldwide.

For information about Cat Cora, visit: http://catcora.com

For information about the Organic Soup Kitchen, visit: http://organicsoupkitchen.org/

Cat Cora on Twitter: https://twitter.com/catcora

Cat Cora On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catcoracooks